Temple University Athletics
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*at Ball State
Pierce Sets Career Rushing TD Mark as Temple Trounces Ball State, 42-0
10.8.11 | Football, Pierce4Heisman
Owls back had three TDs to eclipse Paul Palmer's record
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MUNCIE, IN - Bernard Pierce scored three touchdowns to pass all-time great Paul Palmer as Temple's career leader in rushing TDs in leading the Owls to a 42-0 win over Ball State Saturday afternoon at Scheumann Stadium. The Owls, who dominated play on both sides of the ball from the opening kickoff, improve to 4-2, 2-1 in Mid-American Conference play. Ball State falls to 3-3, 1-1.
Pierce, who entered the play one rushing TD behind Palmer (39, 1983-86), scored on runs of two, four and one-yard out to incease his career total to 41. His three touchdowns also give him 42 overall (one receiving) for his career, which is one shy of Palmer's record for overall career TDs. He now has 15 rushing TDs this season, which is one shy of his school record set during his freshman season (2009).
The Owls standout rusher had 121 yards on 30 carries. It is the fourth time this season that Pierce has scored at least three touchdowns in a game.
Junior RB Matt Brown also topped 100-yards rushing, with 15 carries for 114 yards, including a seven-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
It marked the second time in their careers that Pierce and Brown each rushed for over 100 yards, and the 10th time in Temple history that two running backs have accomplished the feat.
Overall Temple accumulated a season highs of 510 total offense and 350 rushing yards. The Owls held Ball State to 236 total yards and 81 on the ground.
Defense was also center stage, as the Owls, ranked among the nation's leaders in scoring defense all season, posted their first shutout of the season. It came a week after the unit allowed a season-most 36 points in a home loss to Toledo.
Senior LB Stephen Johnson led the way, recording a career-high 16 tackles - five more than his previous best - while also making his first career sack.
Junior DB Justin Gildea set the tone early with a key sack to stop the Cardinals first drive. He followed that with his third career interception on BSU's next possession. It was one of three turnovers the unit forced with senior LB Tahir Whitehead stripping BSU QB Keith Wenning (19-34-2, 155 yds) and recovering the fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter and junior DB Vaughn Carraway making an interception on the Cardinals final possession.
Temple, which scored on its first four drives of the game, marched 71 yards on 14 plays on its initial possession with redshirt senior QB Chester Stewart connecting on a 26-yard TD reception with senior WR Joe Jones to make it 7-0. It was one of Jones' career-high-tying five receptions on the day.
Stewart, who looked sharp at the helm of the Owls' offense, completed 10-of-13 for 160 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 24 yards on six carries.
Following Gildea's pick, Stewart hit senior WR Rod Streater on a 42-yard reception to the BSU two. That set up Pierce's first touchdown, from two-yards out, that tied Palmer's career record.
After holding BSU to a three-and-out, Temple again mounted a 71-yard scoring drive, this time utilizing 15 plays. Pierce capped it with a four-yard run to eclipse Palmer, one of seven rushes in the drive.
Less than four minutes later Pierce would find the end zone for the third time, this time from one-yard out, capping a four-play drive with Brown's 39-yard gallop to the Ball State four serving as the key play.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Pierce would break a 29-yard run, his longest of the day, to set up a seven-yard Brown touchdown run. That made the score 35-0.
Sophomore QB Chris Coyer added a 74-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring. It was the second long TD run of his career as he had a 68-yard TD against Villanova.
The Owls now return to Lincoln Financial Field to take on Buffalo in its annual Homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast by on 1210 AM WPHT and video-streamed on MAC-sports.com.
